By Dr. Jessica Henlon | Education Contributor for Florida National News

“I learned to love myself unconditionally because I am a queen.”
“My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes.”
“When I look in the mirror, and the only one there is me, every freckle on my face is where it’s supposed to be, and I know my creator didn’t make any mistakes on me.”

These lyrics from India Arie’s Video played through my car speakers one morning, and I felt both gratitude and conviction. They reminded me that in a world constantly measuring us against impossible standards, self-worth must be cultivated from within. For students, professionals, and leaders alike, the ability to speak affirmations over ourselves is not simply an exercise in positivity. It is a practice that protects against the quiet yet powerful force of imposter syndrome.

Understanding Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome, also known as the “impostor phenomenon,” occurs when capable individuals doubt their competence and fear being exposed as frauds, despite evidence of success (Clance & Imes, 1978). It is prevalent among students, women in leadership, and professionals transitioning into new roles. Recent reviews confirm that racially and ethnically minoritized individuals often experience imposter feelings at higher levels, given systemic inequities and cultural barriers that can compound self-doubt (Cokley et al., 2024).

Imposter syndrome goes beyond a fleeting feeling; it is tied to perfectionism, anxiety, and diminished self-efficacy. Pákozdy et al. (2023) found that university students experiencing higher levels of imposter phenomenon also reported lower happiness and weaker beliefs in their ability to succeed. This matters because self-efficacy is a cornerstone of persistence in both education and career development (Bandura, 1986; Sun et al., 2025).

The Role of Positive Self-Talk and Affirmations

If imposter syndrome tears at self-belief, positive self-talk stitches it back together. Affirmations are more than inspirational words; they are grounded in neuroscience. Kim et al. (2021) found that positive self-talk during cognitive tasks altered brain connectivity in ways that improved focus and performance. Similarly, self-affirmation activates brain systems tied to reward and self-related processing (Cascio et al., 2016). These findings align with meta-analytic evidence showing that self-affirmation interventions in education improve resilience and performance (Escobar-Soler et al., 2024).

What we say to ourselves matters. Internal dialogue shapes our motivation, our identity, and even our physiological stress responses. In professional settings, leaders who engage in affirmations are more likely to embody authenticity and confidence, creating environments where others feel empowered to do the same.

Lessons from Education and Leadership

In healthcare education, interventions addressing the imposter phenomenon, such as reflection groups, mentorship, and affirmation practices, have improved students’ well-being and normalized asking for help (Siddiqui et al., 2024). A comprehensive review across medical undergraduates and professionals further confirmed that imposter syndrome feelings directly impact well-being, yet targeted support can significantly reduce their adverse effects (Chua et al., 2025).

My research on first-generation college students found similar themes (Henlon, 2025). Participants described how virtual extracurricular activities provided affirming spaces where they could test their leadership skills, hear encouragement from peers, and reframe self-doubt into persistence. They consistently described these experiences as critical to their motivation and success. In other words, belonging and affirmation were not optional supports. They were essential.

Moving Boldly and Standing Firm

India Arie’s song is more than music. It is a declaration that self-worth is not external, but deeply rooted in identity, resilience, and purpose. Positive self-talk is how we reinforce our worth when life tests us. For students and professionals navigating unfamiliar territory, affirmation can be the difference between retreating and moving boldly forward.

Call to Action

For individuals: Practice affirmations daily. Remind yourself, “I am capable, I am prepared, and I belong in this space.” Small shifts in internal dialogue can dismantle years of negative self-talk.

For institutions: Build cultures that affirm and support. Create mentorship systems, normalize discussions about imposter syndrome, and integrate affirmations into leadership and wellness programming.

For communities: Celebrate authenticity. When we honor one another’s unique paths, we replace comparison with collaboration and imposter feelings with inspiration.

“Go on and love yourself, ‘cause everything’s gonna be all right.” – India Arie

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About the Author: Dr. Jessica Henlon holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Education. She is an Education Contributor for Florida National News. Dr. Henlon can be reached at Education@FloridaNationalNews.com or book.jessicahenlon@gmail.com.

By Dr. Jessica Henlon | Education Contributor for Florida National News

Walking through quiet campuses this August: Purdue Fort Wayne, Indiana Tech, the University of Indianapolis, Butler, and IU Indianapolis, I found myself reflecting on what signals true student belonging. It wasn’t just the buildings or new labs. It was the career closets tucked inside student centers, the mandatory study halls for athletes, the bulletin boards overflowing with club flyers. Each of these details spoke to a more profound truth: belonging is designed into the student experience.

Preparing Students for Careers and Confidence

At Purdue Fort Wayne, I walked by signs for the Mastodon Career Closet, where students can borrow free professional attire for interviews. Similar initiatives at Indiana Tech and UIndy included career advising and internship pipelines that connected students directly to local employers. These resources matter because research shows students who receive early guidance are more likely to persist and complete their programs (Bailey et al., 2015; Jenkins & Lahr, 2022).

Supporting Student-Athletes Beyond the Game

At IU Indianapolis and Indiana Tech, athletes must complete supervised study hours, while Butler ties academic check-ins to weekly study tables. This proactive approach support athletes succeeding in the classroom as well as on the field. Research confirms that structured accountability, such as mandatory study halls where student‑athletes work with advisors to set specific goals, enhances self-regulated learning and strengthens academic persistence among athletes (Schwartz, 2018).

Creating Safe and Supportive Spaces

Every campus I visited had visible safety signage, such as emergency call boxes, and centrally located counseling centers. These visible markers of care make families feel reassured and give students the confidence to engage fully in their education.

Engagement That Sparks Connection

From robotics clubs to cultural associations, bulletin boards across the campuses advertised countless ways to belong. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986) reminds us that students learn from observing peers; when students see others involved, they are more likely to engage themselves.

The Research Connection

My dissertation (Henlon, 2025) found that online first-generation students described virtual extracurricular spaces as vital to their sense of belonging and persistence. These findings mirror what I saw in Indiana: structured opportunities for connection build confidence and motivation.

A new study by the Community College Research Center supports this. Lahr et al. (2025) found that while most incoming students felt “certain” about their first-choice major, many were still considering multiple careers at once. Without clear support, students defaulted into general studies programs with weak labor market outcomes. But with visible guidance—career centers, advising, and tutoring, students were more likely to choose programs aligned with their long-term goals.

“Belonging is not optional. It is foundational.”

Call to Action

Families: when you visit campuses, look for signs of belonging. Where are the tutoring labs? Are career services visible? Do bulletin boards reflect a range of student interests? These details matter.

Institutions: design intentionally. Invest in high-impact supports, career programming, tutoring, mentorship, and make them visible. Students who feel seen and supported are more likely to stay, graduate, and lead.

Belonging makes the difference, not just for students but for the communities they will one day serve.

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About the Author: Dr. Jessica Henlon holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Education. She is an Education Contributor for Florida National News. Dr. Henlon can be reached at Education@FloridaNationalNews.com or book.jessicahenlon@gmail.com.

By Dr. Jessica Henlon | Education Contributor for Florida National News

As the sun rose over downtown Orlando on August 12, I joined dozens of Central Florida changemakers at the Parikh Giving Alliance’s Change Makers Breakfast, where several nonprofit leaders gathered to celebrate their causes. Standing at the podium, I reflected on how my journey, from growing up being the “new kid” regularly (due to being in a military family) to spending 24 years building student programs, shaped my why in the world of education and psychology. My parents taught me that one act of courage can cause a butterfly effect, a ripple across generations, a lesson that became my purpose: to help others find belonging and opportunity, no matter where they start. In my speech that morning, I shared how this belief guided my career in education and even my doctoral research (Henlon, 2025). I saw firsthand that when people feel seen and supported, they push through barriers. Belonging, I’ve learned, is the common thread in every success story. Research, experience, and lived reality all echo the same truth: when people feel they belong, they persist (Fong et al., 2024).

That sense of purpose and belonging filled the room at the Change Makers Breakfast. The event brought together leaders in healthcare, education, and the arts who understand that real change happens when we work together across disciplines. Co-founder, Dr. Parikh, opened the morning by reflecting on the essential needs these sectors address and the unique role their alliance plays in fueling innovation through collaboration (parikhgivingalliance.org). Set to take the “stage” were a healthcare CEO, an educator (myself), and a Grammy-winning arts leader. Each of us offered stories of transformation, from free clinics healing the uninsured to educators sparking a student’s self-belief to the arts inspiring dreams. We even heard a stirring live performance of The Impossible Dream, a fitting anthem for a morning celebrating vision and perseverance.

Collaborative Philanthropy in Action

The highlight of the breakfast was announcing the Summer 2025 grant recipients, each an example of collaborative philanthropy in action. The Parikh Giving Alliance intentionally funds partnerships: its Collaboration Catalyst grants support projects where multiple nonprofits work together toward shared goals (parikhgivingalliance.org). By pooling resources and expertise, these joint initiatives aim to enhance community well-being through innovative programs in healthcare, education, and the arts (Bridgespan Group, 2021). It is a funding ecosystem designed to break down silos, recognizing that complex challenges like educational inequity or healthcare access cannot be solved in isolation (McCarthy & Knighton, 2019).

One collaboration features IDignity and Shepherd’s Hope, two nonprofits tackling different sides of the opportunity gap. IDignity works to restore legal identity for vulnerable residents, helping them obtain IDs and documents needed to access housing, healthcare, and employment. Shepherd’s Hope provides free healthcare to uninsured and underserved families. Together, their efforts address interlocking barriers: a person cannot access proper medical treatment or secure employment without identification, and they cannot maintain health or stability without medical care. By funding both organizations in tandem, the Alliance is bridging these systemic gaps with a holistic approach.

Another grant recipient, the Center for Independent Living (CIL), exemplifies partnership in service of inclusion. CIL focuses on empowering people with disabilities, promoting independence and full participation in the community. With Alliance support, CIL can expand programs that make education, workplaces, and arts venues accessible to all. This kind of investment multiplies impact: each ramp built, each sign-language interpreter provided, each adaptive technology device supplied helps create an environment where everyone feels they belong.

In the arts, collaborative philanthropy is opening doors for young talent. The Orlando Youth Chamber Ensembles, a grassroots music education initiative, received seed funding to expand youth access to quality music training. This investment not only nurtures creativity; it builds confidence and community among students. Research confirms that expanded access to arts education strengthens academic outcomes and social-emotional growth (Kisida & Bowen, 2019). When a young person joins an ensemble, they find a place to belong, developing discipline and teamwork through music, often leading to greater engagement in school. Similarly, a larger Transformational grant to Central Florida Community Arts will help scale inclusive arts programs for all ages and abilities, demonstrating how arts organizations and educators can partner to make creativity accessible to everyone.

Insights from Research

The approach taken by collaborative philanthropies like the Parikh Giving Alliance is backed by research and trends in the field. Nearly half of all philanthropic collaboratives active today were founded in the last decade, as donors recognize that pooling resources can multiply the impact of their giving (McCarthy & Knighton, 2019). When executed well, these collaboratives leverage diverse expertise and funder coordination to tackle social challenges more effectively than any one donor or organization could alone (Bridgespan Group, 2021). In other words, collaboration is more than a buzzword; it is a strategy for greater collective impact.

Education and arts partnerships, in particular, have shown remarkable outcomes. A city-wide effort to restore arts education in public schools, studied by the Brookings Institution, found that students who received greater access to arts learning saw fewer disciplinary infractions, higher standardized writing scores, and stronger compassion for peers (Kisida & Bowen, 2019). These students also became more engaged in school and optimistic about their futures, without any decline in core academic performance. Such findings affirm that investing in the arts is not a luxury but a catalyst for educational success and civic health.

Likewise, research on educational inclusion consistently shows that a sense of belonging can make or break student success. A comprehensive review by Fong and colleagues (2024) linked strong student belonging with higher GPA, better graduation rates, and greater persistence in school, with especially significant benefits for students from historically marginalized groups. My doctoral research with first-generation college students reinforces this: participants described how mentorship, peer support, and extracurricular engagement deepened their motivation and helped them persist to graduation (Henlon, 2025). Their stories underscored a central truth: students thrive when they feel seen, supported, and connected to a purpose larger than themselves.

Lifting as We Climb

As the breakfast came to a close, I felt the truth of our collective mission: we are, each of us, like butterflies setting off a ripple of change. “So today, we are the butterflies,” I told the audience. “Every scholarship, every hour of service, every idea shared sets winds of change in motion. Let’s keep lifting as we climb, investing in belonging and purpose. Because when we do, our small steps today become the big impacts of tomorrow.”

In that moment, the room full of educators, artists, health providers, and philanthropists all nodded in recognition. It was clear that belonging is both the fuel and the goal of our work. The Change Makers Breakfast offered a hopeful glimpse of what is possible when visionaries unite. Now it is up to all of us, in the philanthropic sector and beyond, to carry that momentum forward. Whether through funding a joint initiative, volunteering time, or forging a new partnership, we each have a role to play in advancing access and belonging.

When we invest in people and link arms across disciplines, small steps can lead to transformative change. The grant recipients honored this summer will be hard at work creating that change: helping neighbors attain housing and health, giving students a stage (or a canvas or a clinic) to discover their potential, and ensuring no one has to journey alone.

Belonging grows when we build together, and purpose finds power in partnership.

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About the Author: Dr. Jessica Henlon holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Education. She is an Education Contributor for Florida National News. Dr. Henlon can be reached at Education@FloridaNationalNews.com or book.jessicahenlon@gmail.com.